Walking home and I saw....

You never know what you can find when your walking home from walk and last night was no exception.  I am a big fan of window shopping as the right window can inspire a new look or at the very least get you to walk into a store you may of never considered before. 

As we head towards the warmth of spring here in Melbourne we are starting to see the first burst of 'happy colors' hit our stores.  I am so glad to see so many pastels hitting our designs that breath new joy into a wardrobes.  These shots were taken as I walked past Forever New and its clear to see that there are still lots of vintage inspired pieces are coming back again with beautiful soft color touches such as the above felt 1940's style hats and quilted ballet flats.  I think a trip instore might be needed for me tomorrow.

Oh no there goes more of my wages *giggle*, so keep your eyes peeled.  

Firefly 10th Anniversary Panel

With the conclusion of the San Diego Comic Con I thought I would share the 10th anniversary of the Firefly panel held during the convention.  If your not sure what Firefly is well in basic terms think post apocalyptic space western LOL.  Most people will know the writer and creator from the series Buffy the vampire hunter, angel and Dollhouse or even the latest movie the Avengers.  Sadly the series was cancelled by USA tv during the first season, however due to the love of the fans the Firefly team managed to get a feature length film made.  Ten years later and the love for this series and the cast is still strong out there in the sci fi community thanks to the fans who share and support this project.  

I really suggest you grab it on DVD as you will fall in love with the blend of western with space as the setting.  Not to mention there are some great outfits to cosplay for first timers; and yes I have a few cosplay outfits I'm putting together from this show - now I just need a few good pals to help me with a full cast list in cosplay.  

So sit back and watch as it will make you see just how much the fans do mean to the writers, creators and actors of all those TV/movies out there.

 

La Senza

As you know lingerie is the foundation to your day.  Its the first thing we put each day and can often change your mood from 'ho hum' to 'va va voom' in an instant.  Now not every gal every day can afford to run around in La Pearla but that doesn't mean you have to settle for the supermarket 10 pack brief set either.  If you keep your eyes peeled you can find some great everyday wear with the right hint of 'va va voom' that doesn't make you wallet cry either.  

My current addiction is picking up cute little pieces from La Senza.  So far I have managed to pick up a few bras for only $30 (normally around the $80 mark) and panties for $10 as there is a massive sale on currently.  However even at the higher price point these bras are worth the investment as the cleavage they can create are a much cheaper and safer option than plastic surgery. 

The cuts do range from a bit of coverage to full on "WOW" cleavage which is great as you can wear them as everyday bras or for a special occasion.  Plus they also stock a good range of strapless bras as well, a must with many of the tops I wear in summer.  The fabrics are nice and soft, a must for my everyday bras, as well as prints that let you express a bit of your inner pinup everyday.

So next time your wandering around a shopping centre to jump in for a look as you never know what you could find for your inner vixen.

Forever Dreaming

Right now is a pretty exciting time for fashion as you can pick up some great winter items as well as some pieces that will take you right through the year.  On one of my many window shopping trips this month I somehow found myself being drawn into the high street fashion store Forever New. 

Personally these days while shopping I am looking for key pieces that will last so cut and quality are my main focus.  I've found that when you pick up the right pieces from here your investment will be worth it.  For instance my favorite long winter jacket is from here.  At the time it was around the $150 mark but has now lasted me 2 winters and I still get comments of the wonderful cut and styling of it, so in my eyes well worth it.  Hopefully this winter I'll be able to add to the collection as I'm looking for modern pieces with that vintage style.  Its about the cut and fabric for me this winter.

So for now I thought I'd share a few of my 'lust-have' pieces.  

Lucy Strapless Prom Dress

Mia Striped 2 in 1 Dress

Rhianna Velvet Trim Coat

As you can tell by these pieces I'm looking for that classic female silhouette which can be dressed up or down depending on mood and situation. There are loads more beautiful pieces in your local store and online at Forever New, so jump online and have a look as your bound to find something that makes you smile.  Just remember the golden rule to fashion - TRY IT ON - as you always want to make sure your investment pieces will be worth the time and effort, and trust me its about fit.

Fashion goes out of style but Style never goes out of fashion.

Strike a pose

There are many pinup artists that I admire, but today I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite pics from Gil Elvgren.  You may have seen Elvgren's works on lots of pinup sites, not to mention a lot of photographer's use his work as inspiration for their pinup shoots.  From the mid 1930's through 1972, Elvgren produced over five hundred paintings of beautiful girls and women. Almost all of these works are oilo on canvas, and fully developed finished works of art. Elvgren continually surpassed himself, always improving in ideas, composition, color, and technique. 

   

Its well known amongst my friends that I adore his work, so it was a great treat when Mikii last cam down and brought with him some beautiful posters with him for me.  These were now added to my growing collection, I just have to now find some beautiful frames to put them in.

do androids dream of electric sheep?

As much as I adore my pen and paper I do also have a weakness for technology.  Within my friends and family we call it the 'shiny thing' competition, as we are all a bit techie.  At this time of the year I keep seeing ads for all the new 'toys' which may have inspired me to have a look, dangerous but hey a gal can look.  

Some of my new toys I'd love are ........

First up, which is no real surprise, is a 21.5" imac.  Having been a dedicated lover of mac since the early 1980's I do easily fall in love with their products.  My main reasons for lusting after this is because it has a 2.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor and 1TB hard drive.  Yes, it would be a change from my laptops which I've been on for the last 7 or so years but  I think maybe its time to add a desktop to my family of mac's.

 

Ok so number two isn't exactly a shock either.  Now there is still a part of me that is still unsure about needing an ipad but this is a wish list so here it is.

Thirdly I've been seduced by the newest camera by Nikon, the D5100.  Now I've always adored Nikon, there is just something about their camera's that I like.  Partly its the ease of use but mostly its the results the lens can produce.  With 16.2 mega pixels and the ability to use it out of the box with minimal training its great for first timers, or with so much control as you could want even the more experience users will be happy.

Forth and by no means last I still crave a robo dog of my very own.  This little craving was re-born after watching Stephen Fry's 100 greatest gadgets, and I remember how much they made me smiled when I saw them in stores.  Although I'm not quiet sure where to get them from, if only they had a pound for robo dogs like they do real ones.

So while I dream of cool tech I hope you are all happy reading this blog on what ever piece of technology you like; maybe its your laptop, phone, tablet or who knows what.  This little gal is off to dream of electronic sheep.

 

Who doesn't love vintage

In a few days the lovely ladies of Brisbane will be having another great chance to spoil themselves with fabulous frocks, amazing women and all the things that make us Love Vintage.  Not sure what I'm going on about well.... the Love Vintage Fair is in town from Friday 13th until Sunday 15th. 

You are in for 3 days of amazing treats and for an a Adult $14 / Aged & Disability Pensioners $12 / (10 - 16 yrs) $7 / Under 10 yrs free or 2 day pass $26/3 day pass $38 who could resist.  

Apart from great fashion and accessories for sale you can also take in some amazing fashion parades and best of all some wonderful masterclasses with some of the best gals in the business.  

Do you want to know the best way to wear a hat? - have a chat with the gals from Circa Vintage Hats and Bonnie Rose Vintage.   What about some makeup hints and tricks?  The wonderful ladies from the Lindy Charm School will help you there.  Or maybe your looking for some tips on how to be a burlesque pinup well the stunning Foxtrot India will be your guide.  

So have I tempted you yet?  If your still not sure have a look at what's on at the website and by the time you've finished reading the timetable you will be packing your bag and heading for the car. 

With that my darlings I am off to dream of new vintage gowns.

SHOW TIMES:

Friday night 'Opening Evening': 5.30pm – 9.00pm
Saturday: 10.00am – 5.00pm
Sunday: 10.00am – 4.00pm

TICKETS AT THE DOOR:

80 minutes of bliss

 After many days spent at work I decided it was time to treat myself with a bit of R&R and some pampering.  Since I work in air conditioned and heated spaces these day I felt like it was time to treat my skin with a bit of 'refresh'.  As I have very sensitive skin I am always very careful about where I get my beauty treatments done, thankfully I have a great boutique called Groom to go to.

What I adore most its more than a beauty salon, it's a place to go for a spot of ‘social grooming’.  Groom opened its first concept spa at Westfield Southland Shopping Centre where the experience begins as soon as you cross the threshold.  It’s all been designed to feel like you’ve just arrived at your best friend’s New York loft-style pad.

 

So what did I have..... well I went for the Groom Signature Facial.  Its 80 minutes of bliss because you get a  hot stone back treatment, then move onto a hot towel foot wrap. The best part is the facial is customised just for you; with a deep clean, exfoliate and an intensive pressure point massage that improves skin tone and elasticity. Next, it's the tailored treatment mask, finishing up with customised serums and treatment creams. 

Overall I felt so much better after the treatment and my skin was glowing.  So if you can spare 80 minutes out of your day just for you then I suggest you book an appointment and indulgence because your worth being spoiled.

time to break out the sparkle

Its that wonderful time of the year again, nope not just wonderful winter where the excuse to break out snuggly jumpers and truck loads of teas.  Ok so they are great things but its time to venture out into the cold dark night in search of sparkle and joy at the Melbourne Cabaret Festival.

If you haven't heard about this amazing festival before its time to embrace something new and enjoy some amazing artists.

I'm already in the planning stage of how I'm going to get to everything.  Step one is to make my short list however with over a 100 performers its a hard task, but I've manged to get it down to the folllowing.

Tom Dickins - well no surprise that Tom is on my must see list.  I can't wait to spend the night listening to these amazing songs from such a talented artist.

Dates: Wednesday 18 July

Time: 8pm

Price: $20 pre-sale / $25 on the door (+ transaction fee)

Venue: Chapel Off Chapel

The its off to the Bohemia Cabaret Club where they are hosting Steam Up II, an entertaining blend of Burlesque, Cabaret and the Steam Punk phenomenon.  Starring Oscar Sonnet, Madame ‘Mama’ Natalia, Jasper Jewell, Red Devochkin and Jack Lad as ‘Finickity Jack’.

Date: Saturday 14 July

Time: Doors open 5pm; show from 8pm
Price: $20 pre-booked; $25 at the door 

Venue: Bohemia Cabaret Club, 226-228 Coventry Street, South Melbourne

Well this is the starting point, now I just have to check the calender to see just how much I can fit in.  I do hope you jump on the website and see what you can find out there that sparks your interest.